Daqin Zhentiansi

Blood Maple Ridge truly lives up to its name.

The entire mountain range seemed to be soaked in endless blood.

The rocks are dark red.

Even the giant maple trees that survived the war are now just bare branches, like blood-stained thorns, piercing the gloomy sky.

The air was thick with an overwhelming stench of blood, burnt flesh, and demonic energy, making it suffocating.

The shouts of battle, the clash of weapons, the roars of demons, the screams of the dying... all converged into a hellish elegy, echoing amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

Several tattered banners of Xuanyu Temple, along with the battle flags of several other garrison temples, were tightly surrounded on a relatively high stone platform in the ridge.

All around the stone platform were densely packed demon armies of various shapes and sizes, like a surging black tide, constantly crashing against the last line of defense built by the human guardians with their flesh and blood.

Qing Xuanzi was covered in blood, and his left arm hung limply, clearly broken.

He wielded a longsword with only his right hand, its light dim, and with each swing, he took the lives of several demonic beasts.

But more and more monsters surged forward fearlessly, and his wounds continued to multiply.

Beside him were fewer than thirty wounded garrison commanders, all of them injured, their true energy depleted, their eyes filled with exhaustion and despair, yet still gritting their teeth and persevering.

The defensive array of lights had long since shattered, and it was only an indomitable will that was holding on.

"Hold on! For the Abbot! For our fallen brothers!" Qing Xuanzi's hoarse roar sounded so weak on the battlefield.

Despair, like a cold, venomous snake, coils around everyone's heart.

Blood Maple Ridge seems to have truly become their burial ground.

Just as the defensive line was about to be completely overwhelmed—

“Violent——!”

A clear, resounding roar, seemingly from the heavens, suddenly shattered all the noise on the battlefield!

A blazing, golden-red flame, as intense as the rising sun and burning with terrifying heat, hurtled down from the horizon at a speed beyond comprehension!

Wherever the flames passed, even space itself was distorted and scorched with faint scorch marks!
At the core of that radiant light was a dark cyan figure!
Behind him, a pair of enormous wings made of pure golden divine flames stirred up scorching winds and heat waves with each flap, reflecting his face, which was as cold as ancient ice!
It was Zhang Yuan!

He held the divine beast-shaped Sky-Splitting Bone Spear, which had devoured the Blood Soul Tribulation Lightning and was wrapped in dark purple divine fire and dark red lightning patterns, as if a meteor had fallen from the sky.

With a terrifying force capable of burning the eight wastelands and annihilating all living beings, it recklessly crashed into the densest rear of the demon army!
"Anyone who stands in my way will die!"

His chilling words, like the decree of death, accompanied the swing of the bone spear in his hand!

"Burning the heavens, setting the prairie ablaze!"

The Heaven-Burning Divine Wings on his back suddenly flapped!
Countless golden flame feathers, condensed to the point of being tangible, shot out like a storm!

Each feather contained the terrifying high temperature and destructive power of the Burning Heaven Creation Scripture, precisely covering the large swathe of demonic beasts below!
"Chichichichi——!"

"Whoosh-!"

The terrifying sounds of flames piercing flesh and burning bones erupted simultaneously with the extremely shrill screams of the monsters!
Wherever the golden flame feathers touched, whether it was the thick-skinned, armored rhinoceros demon, the swift shadow wolf, or even the stone-skinned giant ape with amazing defense, they were all instantly ignited, pierced, and turned into charcoal!
The air was filled with the stench of burning protein, and the open spaces looked as if they had been ruthlessly plowed by a giant flaming plow, leaving behind charred marks and still-burning remains!
Zhang Yuan's figure did not stop for a moment. Taking advantage of the gap torn open by the power of the Heaven-Burning Heaven, he plunged straight into the heart of the demon army like a tiger entering a flock of sheep!
The divine beast bone spear in his hand transformed into a destructive hurricane!

"Exterminate them!"

"Fallen!"

"Extinction!"

The terrifying power of the ultimate fusion of the three sword intents manifested in turn on the bone spear!

Sometimes it condenses into a thread, piercing through thousands of feet, stringing together dozens of demonic beasts along the way like candied hawthorns, and the spear tip bursts with a ghostly light, instantly annihilating their flesh, blood and soul!
At times, it swept across thousands of troops; wherever the dark light passed, space collapsed, and swarms of demonic beasts were crushed into mincemeat by the invisible force!
At times, it freezes and annihilates; wherever the spear's shadow reaches, hordes of demonic beasts, along with their demonic attacks, are instantly frozen, then turned into ice crystal powder!
No demon beast could withstand a single spear thrust from him!
No sorcery could get within three feet of him!

Wherever he went, a vacuum passage was paved with flesh, bones and death!

His body, a chaotic god and demon, grants him unparalleled power and defense; his Heaven-Burning Divine Wings provide flames that incinerate everything and ultimate speed; and his Divine Beast Sky-Splitting Spear is the supreme weapon for reaping lives!
"It's Senior Brother Zhang! It's Master Zhang!"

A dying garrison commander of Xuanyu Temple, upon seeing that god-like and demon-like figure, was so moved that tears welled up in his eyes, and he shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Reinforcements! Reinforcements have arrived! It's Master Zhang Yuandao from Xuanyu Temple!"

The other survivors of the town's fortresses gleamed with a final glimmer of hope in their desperate eyes.

"Kill! Follow Master Zhang and fight your way out!"

Qing Xuanzi's spirits soared, and he mustered his last bit of true essence. His sword light surged, and he charged desperately toward the direction Zhang Yuan had torn open, carrying the remaining guardians with him!

Zhang Yuan was like an indestructible arrow, forcefully carving a bloody path through the tens of thousands of demon army, and charging unstoppably to the foot of the stone platform!
He stepped onto the stone platform, his bone spear pointing diagonally. He surveyed the surging demonic tide that had briefly paused due to his ferocious power, and his voice was as steady as a deep abyss:
"Senior Brother Qingxuan, fellow disciples, Zhang Yuan is late."

"Not too late! You've come at the perfect time!" Qing Xuanzi excitedly rushed forward.

"Can you still fight?" Zhang Yuan interrupted him, his gaze sweeping over the dozens of comrades on the stone platform, who were covered in wounds and had exhausted their true energy, but whose eyes had been rekindled with fire.

"Yes!" The response came not from Qing Xuanzi alone, but from all the remaining guardians on the stone platform.

They mustered all their strength and unleashed a deafening roar!

This roar contained the excitement of surviving a disaster, gratitude for Zhang Yuan's timely rescue, and an indomitable fighting spirit ignited by the invincible posture before him!

"Good!" A hint of approval flashed in Zhang Yuan's eyes.

He suddenly slammed the divine beast-shaped bone spear in his hand heavily into the center of the stone platform!
"Om-!"

An invisible halo of chaotic light instantly spread out from the bone spear, enveloping the entire stone platform area.

The next moment, Zhang Yuan formed hand seals, and the "Great Dao Golden Pearl" in his sea of ​​consciousness shone brightly. He pushed the deductive power of the Thirteen Derivation Techniques of Destiny to its limit!
He actually shared his understanding of the three core Xuanyu Sect techniques—the *Xuanyu Guizhen Jue*, the *Tiangang Lianxing Fa*, and the *Yinqi Tongxuan Pian*—especially his incredible thirteen layers of insight, directly and forcefully, through the chaotic halo, like a sudden enlightenment, with everyone enveloped by the light! "Concentrate! Comprehend!"

Zhang Yuan's voice, like a resounding bell, echoed deep within the souls of every garrison commander!
In an instant——

"Boom! Boom! Boom!..."

Dozens of auras, varying in strength but all far exceeding the previous ones, erupted on the stone platform like a long-suppressed volcano!

Qing Xuanzi trembled violently, and the flesh and bones at the severed arm rapidly regenerated and healed under the transformative power of the Xuan Yu Gui Zhen Jue!
His cultivation bottleneck, which had stagnated for many years, was shattered, and an unprecedented sense of power, touching the edge of the laws, filled his entire body!

He felt that his control over the Xuan Yu True Essence, his speed of absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and his ability to recover from injuries had all increased more than tenfold!
It was as if he had instantly glimpsed the "true meaning" of the technique!
The other garrison commanders were completely transformed!
Some people's wounds healed at a speed visible to the naked eye; others' depleted dantian was instantly filled with pure Xuan Yu True Essence, and even overflowed.

Some people's previously sluggish cultivation techniques became smooth and unimpeded, with their power increasing dramatically; some even broke through the minor realms that had troubled them for many years!

"Ninth level! I can sense the profound mystery of the ninth level of the cultivation technique!"

"My Heavenly Gang Refining Form Technique... so this is how power can be used!"

"Drawing in Qi to the Profound Realm... The spiritual energy of heaven and earth is so intimately connected! Is this the realm of a Daoist Master?"

After a brief silence, there were exclamations of unbelievable, ecstatic joy!
Everyone was stunned by this incredible skill!

Zhang Yuan was able to directly share his insights into the cultivation technique, instantly granting these remnants of his army near-"pseudo-ninth level" level insights and power boosts! Their strength increased by more than tenfold!
"Mysterious Jade Battle Formation! Activate!"

Qing Xuanzi reacted the fastest, suppressing the raging storm in his heart, and roared angrily as he integrated the profound meaning of the Xuan Yu Gui Zhen Jue he had just comprehended into the battle formation.

"Roar--!"

Dozens of garrison commanders, whose strength had surged and who had undergone a complete transformation, roared in unison, their fighting spirit soaring to the heavens!

They quickly formed an unprecedentedly refined circular battle formation, radiating a dazzling luster of black jade and an aura of chaos!
The array of light flowed, and it even faintly possessed the power to suppress the void and return to the origin!

At this moment, although their individual realms remained unchanged, the overall combat power they unleashed was enough to make even a Venerable take notice!
"kill--!"

At Zhang Yuan's command, the bone spears were aimed directly at the core of the demon army!
"kill!!!"

The battle formation, like a primordial beast awakening, under Zhang Yuan's leadership, was no longer confined to a defensive position, but instead launched a ferocious counterattack!
Wherever it passed, the Xuan Yu divine light swept across, the celestial power collapsed, and profound techniques rained down!

The once-mighty demon army was decimated and crushed like waves of wheat before this suddenly "evolved" terrifying battle formation!
Zhang Yuan stood at the very front of the battle formation, like a pillar of strength, and the core crucible!

While wielding his bone spear, easily killing the powerful demon generals who rushed at him, he quietly activated the ultimate divine power of the thirteenth level of the "Qi-Drawing Profound Chapter".

"All energies return to their source, devour!"
Using his own chaotic god-demon body as a bridge and the insights into cultivation techniques he had just shared as a guide, he transformed the killing battle formation he was leading into a massive devouring field!

The essence, demonic energy, and even the faint power of bloodline origin of countless demons that were killed or severely injured were invisibly drawn in, devoured, and refined, turning into the purest torrent of energy.

This torrent continuously flowed back to Zhang Yuan, replenishing his intense consumption and quietly nourishing and enhancing his chaotic divine and demonic body and chaotic true essence!
Battle became the nourishment for his cultivation!
With each swing of the spear and each devouring, the chaotic aura emanating from his body became even more profound and refined!
The counterattack at Blood Maple Ridge ultimately turned into a one-sided massacre that shocked the entire Shensha River war zone.

Zhang Yuan descended like a demon god, wielding only a spear and leading dozens of "pseudo-ninth-level" guardians whose combat power had soared with the blessing of enlightenment. He single-handedly slaughtered tens of thousands of demon army soldiers, leaving them in a bloodbath and utterly routed.

The two powerful demons at the rear were in dire straits. One was severely injured by Zhang Yuan's divine beast bone spear combined with the Heaven-Burning Divine Fire and fled. The other, seeing the situation was not good, led his remaining troops and fled in panic.

Blood Maple Ridge, this desolate land soaked in the blood of humankind, was actually reclaimed by Zhang Yuan with unparalleled strength!

The smoke from the battle at Blood Maple Ridge had not yet dissipated, and the pungent smell of scorched earth mixed with blood was still irritating.

But the shock and hope brought by Zhang Yuan were like a boulder thrown into stagnant water, creating unprecedented ripples in this brutal war zone downstream of the Chensha River.

He did not become complacent because of the great victory, and he also refused the suggestion from Qing Xuanzi and others to let him take a break.

"The demonic threat has not yet been quelled, how dare we speak of resting?" Zhang Yuan's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable weight.

His deep gaze swept across the ravaged battlefield.

"Within ten days, I will make the demons of this land tremble with fear at the mere mention of the name 'Zhang Yuan of Xuanyu Temple'!"

Just the morning after the Battle of Blood Maple Ridge ended, an even more suffocating piece of news arrived.

The Broken Soul Gorge, a strategic location on the flank of the war zone and connecting several important supply lines, was suddenly captured by a surprise attack led by three powerful peak demon kings!
The two garrison squads stationed there were completely wiped out, and the canyon was shrouded in a highly poisonous miasma and a soul-devouring array of bones, in an attempt to completely cut off the human race's reinforcements.

When the news reached the temporary command camp, the atmosphere instantly plummeted to freezing point.

The three demon kings—the Mountain-Splitting Bear King, who possessed the strength to uproot mountains; the Bone-Eating Poisonous Spider Queen, who was unpredictable and difficult to defend against; and the Shadow-Killing Wind Leopard King, who moved like lightning—were all at the peak of the Saint Realm, and they cooperated perfectly, defending their strategic positions.

If a strong attack is to be launched, only the Venerable Ones can intervene, but at this moment, all the Venerable Ones in the war zone are engaged in a standoff with the Demon Clan Venerable Ones in the more central battlefield and are unable to spare any attention.

"I'll go." Zhang Yuan's voice broke the silence.

He stood up, his dark robes fluttering without wind, and the divine beast bone spear in his hand, wrapped in dark purple divine fire and blood-red lightning patterns, emitted a low hum, as if it longed to drink demon blood.

"Junior brother! No!" Qing Xuanzi urgently stopped him. "Soul-Severing Gorge has become a dead end. The three demon kings have joined forces, and with the added protection of a powerful formation, it's extremely dangerous! We should plan carefully and gather more strength..."

“Once the assembly is complete, the demon race will have finished its follow-up arrangements, and the cost will be even greater.” Zhang Yuan interrupted him, his eyes sharp as knives. “Don’t worry, they’re just three beasts; they can’t stop me.”

Before he finished speaking, he had already transformed into a golden-red streak of light that tore through the sky, his Heaven-Burning Divine Wings unfurling furiously behind him, carrying the heat and determination to burn the eight wastelands, and rushing straight towards the Soul-Severing Gorge!

At the canyon entrance, thick, inky poisonous miasma churned, and countless pale, bone-like spikes protruded from the rock walls, emitting a ghostly light that seemed to devour souls.

The figures of the three demon kings appeared and disappeared in the depths of the miasma, letting out earth-shattering roars and chilling laughs.

"Human ants, how dare you charge into the formation alone? Perfect for sacrificing yourselves to this king!" The Mountain-Splitting Bear King's voice was like muffled thunder. His huge bear paws slammed into the ground, causing the canyon to tremble. Countless boulders, imbued with demonic power, crashed towards Zhang Yuan like meteors.

At the same time, the Bone-Eating Poison Spider Queen spewed out a vast expanse of seven-colored poisonous webs. Wherever the poisonous webs passed, even the space itself emitted a "sizzling" corrosive sound, and it also caused the poisonous miasma in the canyon to form a viscous swamp, slowing down everything.

Shadow Killer Leopard King completely merged into the shadows, leaving only streaks of cold light tearing through space, attacking Zhang Yuan's vital points from extremely tricky angles!

The three demon kings, seamlessly combining offense and defense, with poison, strength, and speed working in perfect harmony, instantly engulfed Zhang Yuan in the center of a devastating storm of attacks! (End of Chapter)